District Statement Regarding Community Rights Campaign and the Strategy Center

News Statement from the District:

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Los Angeles School Police Department (LASPD) have been continuously working with the Community Rights Campaign and the Center for Public Integrity, among other stakeholders, for the past three years addressing the number of citations issued to LAUSD students, as well as arrest reform issues.

In our meetings, we have agreed on steps to mitigate the issues and concerns that have been presented. At the meetings, we have discussed and will be instituting in the new school year a progressive new policy that will refer students, who are truants to a non-court, district-sponsored, diversion program. We have also shared with the group that there has been a 54% decrease in truancy citations since last year alone.

The District and the LASPD continue to analyze the most appropriate means to address violations of laws, and will continue to address many issues administratively within the school environment. We have shared this information with all groups involved.

We are surprised and disappointed that CRC irresponsibly chooses to continue to discuss statistics that are three years old without recognizing that each year the District continues to reduce crime, reduce arrests, reduce suspensions and increase positive relationships with students.

Over the last three years, as the LASPD has significantly reduced its truancy citation issuance rates, the District continues to show steady increases in student attendance and high rates of student satisfaction indicating how safe they feel at school. The LASPD has not, and will not, engage in any form of biased or discriminatory enforcement activities based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preferences, student disabilities or geographic location. The LASPD looks forward to the continuing partnership with all stakeholders to ensure a safe, secure school environment, and equal educational opportunities.

The LASPD also has been an active partner in the Los Angeles County Student Attendance Task Force, and works with other multi-agency committees to address interventions, diversion programs, and various other student safety awareness and quality-campus environment programs. We will continue to work with our internal and external stakeholders to identify and evaluate non-penal alternatives to various minor violations.